Method of making illuminated signs



Sept. 11, 1934. G. L. FULLER 1,973,340

METHOD OF MAKING ILLUMINATED SIGNS Filed May 26. 1932 INVENTOR.

3 m wa ATTORNEY-T- Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of making panels of a non-brittle nature, parts of which arecapable of transmitting light and, more particularly, to a method of making panels for 5 signs.

In my copending application Serial No. 612,276, filed May 19, 1932, there has been described signs incorporating panels which are of a flexible or non-brittle nature and which have portions which will transmit light to form a display. The present invention is concerned with-a method of making such panels which shall have the foregoing characteristics.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making panels-for display purposes which shall be non-brittle and resistant to breakage while, at the same time, being capable of transmitting light in a required outline. Another object of the invention isto provide a method of making signs which will avoid the use of glass which is brittle and unsuitable for signs which are exposed to breakage by the elements and by unauthorized persons. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. a

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig..l is an elevationiof asign incorporating panels made by the present method; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a panel prepared according to the present method with parts removed to show the construction thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged 0 section through a completed panel, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections through a portion of a panel showing successive steps in the method of making.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a sign '7 is 5 mounted on standards 8 and 9 of channel iron or other suitable construction. Frames 11 are attached to these standards or uprights and the panels 12 are held in these frames Of which there will ordinarily be two, one each on the forward and rear faces of the sign. The illuminating means for the sign will be disposed between the panels and the frames will be held at the top'by a cover '13 forming a weather-tight enclosure for the interior of the structure.

In'the method of forming the panel 12, a layer (Cl. ll-41) of fabric 14 is covered or impregnated with a coating material 15, which may be lacquer orenamel or other medium containing iron oxide and the like as a filler. The paint is applied toithe fabric over its entire surface, but leaving unprinted the portions of the fabric which 'correspond to. the legend or display which the finished panel is to carry.- While the coatingmaterial 15 is still wet, a screen 16 (Fig. 5) is applied thereto so that the lacquer or paint on the fabric will act asan adhesive to bind the a composite sheet.

In the next step of the method, the screen 16 is also covered with a coating'material 1'7- (Fig. 5) which, preferably, contains plaster of paris in addition to oil or lacquer anda pi ment. The meshes of the screen are filled over the entire area thereof but, again, leaving unprinted those fabric and'screen into areasfl8 corresponding to the legend tobe displayed, these areas of the screen, in which the mesh is free and open, corresponding to the unprinted areas ofthe fabric. In order to reduce the thickness of coating necessary to fill the meshes of the screen flush so as to present an even surface forthe reception of paint which may be later applied in decorating the sign, it is desirable to flatten the knees of the screen to reduce the amount of coating material necessary and also to permit filling or approximately filling the meshes flush with the surface of the screen in one operation of aprinting press. The. screen as prepared for this purpose will have much fiatter knees than the knees 19 shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing although it will be understood that the panel herein-described may also be prepared with ordinary screen. The screen may also be'replaced by other reticulated materials such as those die cast fromsome metal such as lead, in which .a

plate of metal is prepared with the required apertures formed therein. Where a flattened screen is used, the screen may be flattened to such an extent that it is only slightly thicker than the diameter of one of the constituent wires, only sufficient bend being left in the wires to hold the paint or coating material which is printed thereon.

. The composite sheet now consists of a layer of PATENT OFFICE y screen mesh in the desired outline. This is done by first printing the fabric side of the composite sheet with a resist 21 (Fig. 6) suitable to resist the rotting action of an etching substance subsequently to be applied. This resist, which may be an acid-resisting material where an acid, such as sulphuric acid, is used, is printed on the fabric leaving only the previously untreated portions 22 of the layer corresponding to the advertising matter, uncovered; The printing of the screen and the printing of the fabric with acid-resisting material, such as varnish, may be done in two successive operations of a printing press.

The fabric side of the composite sheet is now treated with acid or other etching substance either all over this surface or only on the parts which are to be rotted out, the etching substance being sprayed on or otherwise applied. The acid'or other etching substance will now rot out the unprotected fabric where the resisthas not been applied and leave characters or designs 23 (Fig. 3) on the panel within the outline of which appears only the bare mesh of the screen. The etching substance is then washed off and the panel may be further decorated as desired and placed in the frames 11 for use.

A thin bolting silk has been found to be suitable for the fabric above described and, where silk is used, an acid-proof varnish may be used as the resist and sulphuric acid or other acid may be applied to rot the silk where desired. Of course, it will be apparent that other fabric or cloth may also be used together with an etching substance which will attack this cloth, the use of the particular etching substance in each case being accompanied by the use of a resisting material which protects the fabric from the particular etching substance used. r

A panel has beendescribed above composed of one layer of screen and one layer of fabric, such panel being used with the screen side outermost in a sign and the interiorly disposed illuminating means of such sign shining out through the open meshes of the screen within the letters or other characters; It is also possible to prepare 'a panel in which a screen is disposed between two layers of fabric and, in such case, the method followed will be the same as that herein described with the addition that both layers of fabric will be rotted out in line with each other and in line with the unfilled portions of the screen mesh'to provide-light-transmitting areas. I

The panel prepared according to the present method is of a non-brittle nature due to the strength and flexibility of the screen and thus cannot'break when struck by the wind or'unauthorized persons as would be the case if glass were 'used in such panels. This featureis particularly important where'the panels are to be used in signs located in distant and isolated locations as in roadway signs although, of course, the panels are also intended to be used on the sides of-building where there is not the hazard of vandalism, but even here the sign must be adapted to resist the elements. -While thus being free of the objections to which glass is subject, the sign'readily transmits light and is thus an effective advertising means which is useful during the night'as well as in the day. Heretofore, the signs usedon highways remote from the cities have not ordinarily been illuminated and have had no value during the night particularly in the small and inexpensive type of sign. The present sign incorporating the above described panel is inexpensive to make and maybe illuminated by lumi nous tubes in such fashion that the sign is a com- 1plete unit which requires only occasional attenion.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A method of making a non-brittle panel having light-transmitting areas which comprises preparing acomposite. sheet of fabric and strong, stiff reticulated material and applying a protective coating except for the areas which are to be lighttransmitting, andremoving the uncoated areas of fabric.

2. A method of making a nonbrittle opaque sign having light-transmitting areas, which comprises preparing a composite sheet of fabric and reticulated metallic material having an opaque coating except for areas which are to be light' transmitting, applying a resist to the surface of the fabric except for said areas which are to be light-transmitting, and removing the uncoated areas of fabric. I

3. A method ofmaking a non-brittle opaque sign having light-transmitting areas, which comprises assembling a sheet of fabric'and a strong, stiff reticulated material, with an opaquing sub-. stance between the fabric and reticulated material except for areas which are to be lighttransmitting, applying a resist to the fabric except for said areas to be light-transmitting, and removing the uncoated areas of fabric.

4. A method-of making a non-brittle sign having light-transmitting areas, which comprises applying to a sheet of fabric a coating material except for the areas which are to be light-transmitting, placing a strong, stiff reticulated sheet of material against such coated surface, applying to the fabric a resist except on the areas which are to be light-transmitting, and removing the uncoated areas of fabric.

5. A method of making a non-brittle sign having light-transmitting areas, which comprises applying to a sheet of fabric a coating material except for the areas which are to be light-transmitting, placing a wire screen on the coated surface of such fabric, and removing theifabric at the uncoated areas.

6. A method of making a non-brittle. sign having light-transmitting areas, which comprises applying to a sheet of fabric a coating material except for the areas which are to be light-transmitting, placing a wire screen on said fabric'and filling the meshes of said screen with the coating material except for the areasto be light-transmitting, applying to the fabric a resist except for the areas to be light-transmitting, and removing the uncoated areas of fabric. I

7. A method of making a non-brittle opaque sign having light-transmitting reticulated areas which comprises covering a sheet of. fabric with an opaque coating material except for areas which are to be lighttransmitting, placing a wire screen on said coated fabric and filling the meshes of the screen with a coating material except for correspondinglight-transmitting areas free of coating materiahcovering portions of the surface of the fabric corresponding to the filled areas on the screen with a resist, applyingan etching substance to' the fabric to etch out portions-of the etch out portions of the sheet not covered with the acid-resisting material, and washing off the acid.

9. The method of making a non-brittle panel having light-transmitting areas which comprises treating portions of a piece of fabric with a coating material, flattening the knees of a piece of screen andapplying such screen to said fabric, filling the meshes of portions of said screen with a coating material, and removing the untreated portions of said fabric.

GRANT L. FULLER. 

